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This month's student testimony is from a guy named Josh over at our Richland FOCUS community. I actually got to know Josh a little bit during our trip to SICM this past May. He even got baptized during that trip, and though I don't know him super well, it's cool to read a more personal testimony and share his story with all of you! These are the kids y'all are investing in, and God is blessing them through you. Thank you for supporting our ministry! Read his story here:

Campus outreach:

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for our campuses and for the students we meet! During our formal campus outreach, we present questions about faith to the students at Collin College. Questions like "What do you pray for?", "Who do think Jesus is?", and "How can we pray for you?". It's been cool to see students being open to have these discussion and share thoughts even if they aren't necessarily from a Christian bac…

Every time the weather gets nice, I get so excited. We only have a few months where scarves, boots, and coats are necessary and I am patiently awaiting for that day. I own way too many scarves for a woman who lives in Texas, but I'm excited to wear one maybe starting around Thanksgiving? Who knows.

I am so excited to tell you guys about this past month of campus ministry! First, I would like for you to read sweet Jocelyn's story.

Fall Camp
Thank you all so much for praying for our fall camp! We had over a hundred students show up this year which is crazy big for a community college. Success isn't about numbers, but it was cool to see this many people show up. At fall camp, we played games, ate chik-fil-a, heard sermons from Garrett and Pedro, and participated in different forms of worship together. I know this experience was uncomfortable for a lot of people because it was uncomfortable for me at my first fall camp 5 years ago (yikes, im old), but it s…

I am so excited that the school year is in full swing, and I am very grateful to get to hi light some of my favorite memories from the beginning of the school year so far.

Our first student testimony of the year comes from a guy named Michael who is a part of our UTD ministry. Please take a moment to read his story!

Welcome Week
Typically during the first week of the school year at Collin, we will have one week of events to meet new students on campus and invite them into our community. Side note: we also do this throughout the whole year, it's just in a more concentrated way at the beginning of the year. This year we got to spend the first two weeks of school doing outreach events like Bad Tattoos, Football Bowling (fowling, or footbowling), and Where's Waldo just to name a few (pictures will follow). My favorite thing isn't necessarily the event itself, or the amount of people that come to FOCUS because of it. My favorite things…

Hello!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I thought I would start this month off with some good news!
Good News:
1. Many of you have partnered with me in ministry, and I should tell you that I am fully fundraised! Thank you so much for your prayers, financal support, and generosity. I look forward to sharing about this new school year! And I get to do that because of your partnership. Thank you!
2. We have selected our student leader team for the year! Yay! Please be praying for humility and urgency for them, and for the people they will get to meet throughout the year.
This month, our student testimony comes from a girl who I actually got to sit next to on a plane on the way to Washington. Her name is Morgan, and it's so neat to re this and see how vulnerable and honest she is about how good God has been to her. Please take a moment to read this:

SOOT:
This summer, our Collin team invited students to SOOT or Situational One on One Training. Our staff believes that &qu…

I'm excited to tell you all about my summer! But first, I'd like you to take a moment to read this sweet testimony from my friend Ismael. I went to UNT with this guy, and my heart is so full to see how God has really worked in his life. You can read his story below:

SICM Debrief
Last month, I told you guys all about SICM and how God was working in our students lives there. About a month after we got home, our Collin staff decided to get together with our students who had been to SICM and have a conversation about what God had laid on there hearts since getting back from Washington. It was so encouraging to hear our students talk about humility, faithfulness, grace, and the importance of reaching out to other people. Our students built friendships rooted in Christ, and it was so great to hear what they had to say about what God has been teaching them. I am so excited for these guys and gals to influence our community the way they have been i…

Well my friends, my apprenticeship with Focus is over and I have now officially transitioned onto our senior staff. These past ten months have been such a rollercoaster of God teaching me how good he really is, and how he answers prayer. Thank you so much for supporting me, our ministry, and for being a part of it. I am so excited for this new year of getting to do college ministry. Please continue to pray that God will provide richly for our staff's fundraising, and for summer to be a refreshing, renewing time for our students.

This month's student testimony makes my heart melt because I got to know Michelle personally this past semester. She was a part of the core I co-led, she is responding so boldly to Jesus, and is passionate about college ministry. I even got to share a room with her at SICM in Bellingham, WA! She is such a good friend, and a truly answered prayer to our Preston Ridge campus. Below is her
testimony:

Hey, hey, hey!
Here is our student testimony for the month. I have the privilege of getting to work with Caroline, Catherine's sister at Collin College. It is always so neat to see how FOCUS is a part of so many families lives in many different ways. Read her testimony below!

It is so hard to wrap my head around being in the last month of my apprenticeship. Each month feels like a year in some ways, or as if no time has passed at all. This time of year I tend to get pretty emotional, and pensive because of all the changes that happen, and it's very hard for me to embrace. However, instead of being a big baby, I am choosing to lean into the discomfort of life change and say a big fat thank you.
Thank you to my prayer and financial support team. Without your provision, and belief in campus ministry, our big staff of 25 people wouldn't be able to be full time campus missionaries. I am reminded of Paul's letters and how he always starts off with prayer and thanksgiving f…

First, I just want to say thank you to all my supporters, friends, and family. Each month this Apprenticeship passes, I grow a little more in thankfulness because I get to experience the kingdom a little more in different ways. I don't think I would get this experience if it wasn't for the people supporting me. So thank you.

Our student testimony this month is from my friend Jon Smith. Any Pocahontas fans out there? Yes, this is his real name. I have known Jon since Fall of 2015, and had the pleasure of working with him at North Central Texas College (NCTC). Jon really cares about people, and goes out of his way to serve others. It makes me happy for you all to get to know him a little better. Read his story here:

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS 1. Impact Week: Every Spring, our FOCUS ministry partners with Chi Alpha (another college ministry) from Washington state. Collin College hosted four students, and two campus pastors from Bellevue community college (near Seatt…

Can you believe it's already March even though the weather feels like April, but yesterday was February? Yeah, me either.

Student Ministry Update: This is Hallie, a Vietnamese student from our UTA ministry. Back in December, I had the privilege to go to New Orleans with 40 other FOCUS students from all of ministries to serve a neighborhood called Hollygrove. Hallie was one of the new people I met, and quickly she became my friend. She is so sweet, humble, and has let Jesus change her life. Below, you can read her personal testimony.

Last week, we had our Spring Pizza Theology on Race and Racial Reconciliation. This was such a powerful event. Many students shared their own unique experiences, and it was so humbling to hear. Hallie shared her experiences as a Vietnamese student living in America. She even compared her experience to how, as disciples, we are foreigners living a temporary land. We are in the world, but not of the world. A C.S. L…

January has whooshed on by, and that has a lot to do with the momentum from Winter Camp. Winter Camp is a special, annual event that happens over a weekend every January. During this time, students from all of our campuses get together to worship, listen to sermons, and to spend time growing in community via friendship. It's not hard to grow in community when you are stuffed into cabins and forced to share small bathroom spaces. Honestly, some of the funniest memories I have from my 5 years of Winter Camp have happened because of small spaces. There is a lot of snoring, sleep talking, and dancing that happen. Winter camp is an enjoyable, yet stretching kickoff for our students. Though it rained the entire weekend, it was still an amazing experience. We had over 600 students from all of campuses attend Winter Camp. My first year at Winter Camp, there were only 300 students. WOW! This was the first time at Winter Camp where I truly didn't see certain people for hours…

I want to start off by saying thank you to my friends, family, and financial and prayer supporters for being a part of my life in general, and especially over the last 6 months. This job is such a blessing, and y'all are every bit a part of it. Thank you.

Below is our monthly student testimony. I happen to know Chiazo personally, and I am thankful for her friendship through our time at UNT together. This section of my blog is dedicated to the "Why I do what I do" part of my job. Sometimes I don't know the students featured personally, but hearing this every month is God speaking directly into my heart about how Jesus is working through our ministry. Take a peak!

To celebrate the end of the year, the Apprentices decided to have a secret santa. I was gifted a pomeranian calendar and coconut pineapple water. I was very pleased with my gift. This was such a neat way to celebrate with another the end of the year.